Donations totalling £1,100 have been made to a woman who is living in her car because she refuses to give up her dogs.

After spending seven months on and off sleeping in cramped conditions, Helen Mcquilliams has also been offered a job and a place to stay.

The painter and decorator began sleeping rough after her landlord sold the home she was renting in Chatham.

She currently lives in her Ford Focus estate in a lay-by at Iwade, near Sittingbourne, with bull mastiffs Zac and Kai.

She earlier turned down emergency council accommodation because she would have had to give them up.

Her husband is in prison, and she says she is estranged from most of her family, meaning she survives on £140 a fortnight in benefits.

The 37-year-old’s story went viral on social media after appearing on KentOnline and dozens of people donated money to a fundraising page to help get her back on her feet.

She has since been offered a job redecorating the Woolpack Inn in Ashford in exchange for food and a safer place to park her car.

But when the story first went online, Mrs Mcquilliams, received a barrage of abuse.

She said: “When I put the story out there I knew I’d get some abuse but wasn’t prepared for what came.

“I cried when I started to read the comments, they were so vile. I didn’t think people would be so nasty.”

Mrs Mcquilliams said what got her through the backlash was the support of those who did offer assistance.

“It’s been a week of miracles, I’m absolutely shocked and overwhelmed by the response so far,” she said.

“People even drove up to me with blankets and dog food, it really restored my faith in people.”

Mrs Mcquilliams plans to check she is not breaking any rules with the Department of Work and Pensioners before taking up the job.

Pub landlord Julia Hayes said: “A friend shared her story with me and I thought if that ever happened to me I would do the exact same.

“Sadly I don’t have a lot of money but I thought if I can give her a safe place to stay and something to eat, it’s a start.”